Bottle-capping machine



April 27 1926.

J. E. JOHNSON ET AL BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Original Filed 06V 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WEIHHHHNHII] Invento r J 5W By 44.; ttorney he (alga/MC April 27 1926.

J. E. JOHNSON El AL BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 31

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April 27 1926. 1,582,139

. J. E. JOHNSON ET AL BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 31 ,-1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATE-S P TENT OFFICE! JOHN EMANUEL qo Nson nn menus H, .osnnrrn, or won-enemas, MASSACHUSETTS.

sme-seems Memes- Application filed Octeber 31, 1918, Serial No. 334,683. Renewed September 28, 1925.

Y '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, JO N EMANUEL JoHNsoN and CHARLns I-I.'-OSLUND, citizens of the United States of America, residing at lVorcester, county of lVorcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Gapping Machines, of which the following'is a. specification. I j

Our invention comprises'certain improvements on the apparatus shown and described in U. S. patent to Ernest-A. Oliver, No. 1,310,960, dated July 22nd,191,9 and is designed to render the action of the same more uniform in certain particulars and to prptect it frolnbreakiiig strains when stoppages do 08011 215 from caps jamming-in the passage thrcugh which they are "passing. Gi l e best form of apparatus atpresent known to us embodying our invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which," i i i 1 is a side elevationofthe machine. *ig. 2 is an enlarged-"detail section of the driving apparatus forthe cap feeding mechanism. '7 1 Fig. 3 is a face yiew of the same, the hopper being removed and the shaft shown in cross section. i

Fig. 1 is a seotion on line i4r"of'Fig. 2.

Fig 5 is a detail yie'w, on an enlarged scale, of the. cap aflixing mechanism, partsbe' ing broken away tion. 1

Fig. 6 is a similar side elevation of some of the carts shown in Fig. i

F T is a side View of'tlie cap delivering chute on an enlarged scale and of the cap atlixing plunger, the latter being shown partly in section.

and. othersshown in see.

Fig. 8 is across section on line 8-8 and Fig. 9 a cross section on line 9-9, of Fig. 7. ,7

Fig. 10 is a'horizontal section on broken line 1010 ofFig. 7i i i Fig. 11 is a detailview of the cap feeder with parts broken aw y, and

Fig. 12 is a central vertical section of the machine 'lhroughout the drawings like reference characters.indicate like parts.v As in the above mentioned patent to Oliver 1, represents the main-frame of the machine on which is supported an approximately oval shaped table "2. This a rotat ng ametersj section 3, located in a cylindrical opening at the center of the main table and this rotating table section is mounted ona vertical sl1aft'4,'journaled in bearings 5, 6 and 7, carried bythe main frame, the bearing 5, being a step bearing to support the shaft.

The rotating table section 3, is keyed to slaft by key 8, and supported and Verticallyadjusted by means of the nut 2 1, threaded on shaft &, and these parts are ro- "tatedby the worm wheel 9,011 shaft- 1, en-

side by one or more set screws 29, each ipped with'a loci; nut 30. lhe rotating table 3,has a series of pads 14, 14-, set 111 its upper surface, equally spaced abent the table center, of'the proper size' 'to receive the bottoms of a series "of "bottles. These pads are made of some elastic material sons to yield slightly when downward ]n:essure is applied to the bottles. ()ve'r the rotating table 3, the usual star wheel employed in machines of this type which as shown is composed: of a lower portion 15, and upper portion orplate 16, fastened to the sleeve on the lower portion l plate screws 17, 17, the latter being fastened to the supporting sleeve 2]., by set A. second portion 19, of the star screw 18. wheel'consists of ring with radial arms together constituting, anouter-section of the star wheel adjustable on the'first described sceticirand fastened in any particular adjustment by set screwQO. The sleeve 21, which is on shaft at, has a flange on its lower end through which. pass screws 25, for fasiening' the sleeve to thetable section 3. By

shis construction the two sections of the star wheel may be adjusted circumferentially as a unit on'the shaftso as to center the bottles received between the arms over "the pads 1+1, and the part 19 of the star wheel can be circumferentially adjusted on the part 15 to closely engage bottles of different di- Above the table and star wheel is a ro upper ends.

.1, by a key 55, so as to rotate synchronously with the table and this spider is further supported by the upper section 22, of the vertical sleeve, which screws into the lower section 21, and is held in any desired position of adjustment therein by set screw 23.

The rotating spider 54, carries a series of capping plunger heads 56, which are vertically movable in the spider. These plungers have transverse stub shafts set in their These shafts are arranged so as to lie radially to the main shaft 4, and on their inner ends carry beveled anti-friction rollers 59, resting on stationary beveled cam 64., whichis carried by casting 63, from the cross head 65, which is vertically adjustable in the main frame by means of the bolt and set screw attachments 66 (Fig. 1), movable in slots 58 in said main frame. These shortshafts 57, also carry anti-friction cylindri al rollers 60, and have intermediate flattened sections 61, which move up and down in slots 62, in an upwardly projecting sleeve from spider 54:. As a result the capping plunger heads 56, are prevented from rotat ing on their axes and the beveled anti-friction rollers 59, are maintained in proper relation to the cam 64, on which they rest, thereby supporting the capping plunger heads. The lower portions of these plunger heads 56, are composed of internally cored, outwardly flaring guide sections 67, which are screwed into the lower ends of the plungers and thereby'confine dies 68, between them and supporting washers 69, seated against shoulders in the internal recesses of the plungers. In these internal recesses and above the dies are mounted ejector plungers 70, normally forced down by springs 71, pocketed in the recesses of the plungers 56 and bearing against the collars 72, on ejector plunger-s 7 0. Each guide section 67 has an internal flange forming a support for the inserted bottle cap.

73, is a side slot in the guide section 67, through which a bottle cap 7f, may pass from the cap chute 76, which engages the circumferential slot 75, in the spider 5e, and registers with the slot 7 3, in each capping plunger head as it comes opposite. The means for feeding bottle caps to this chute 76, comprise the hopper 77, supported on the upper portion of the machine, and having in its lower portion a rotating hollow capfceding wheel 78, supported on horizontal shaft 7 9, which is rotated by means of beveled pinion 8Q, meshing with bevel gear 81, on shaft 4. By the operation of this mechanism the rotation of the table and main shaft l, conveys motion to the hollow cap-feeding wheel 78, which tumbles the caps over until they drop into the radial spaces shown in Fig. 11 in the right position to drop down the chute 76, when coming opposite thereto, so that they are delivered by this chute to the plunger heads 56 right side up.

As the machine operates, the plunger heads 56, are held by reason of the beveled rollers 59, running on the higher portions of the cam 64, until any particular plunger approaches the pressure cam 82. The beveled roller then runs down into a depression in cam 64, so that the die 68, descends around the mouth of bottle 31 and forces the cap over the bottle mouth, as shown in Fig. 5, the die 68 crimping the edgesof the cap down around the bottle mouth in the wel known way. Normally this stage of operationsoccurs before the beveled roller reaches the bottom of the depression in the cam 6i, and thereupon the pressure cam 82, comes into action and positively drives the plunger head down a little further and, the collar 72, on ejector plunger 70, having come to a. bearing on a second shoulder on the interior of plunger 56, the top of the cap is simultaneously flattened out by the end of said ejector plunger. Further motion of the table and spider 54, carries the whole assemblage of parts free from pressure cam 82, the plunger head 56, is lifted by cam 6-l, and the ejector spring 71, coming into action, drives down the ejector plunger 7 O, which clears the capped bottles from engagement with the die 68, so that the bottle rema ns free upon the rotating table 3, and is carried around until it engages an ejector guide, not shown, by which it is removed from the rotating section of the table.

Obviously toavoid possible breakage of bottles the downward pressure of cam 82, must be a yielding pressure, although a considerable one. In the construction shown in Fig. 5, this pressure is primarily produced by a weight (not shown) on cam lever 83, said lever being pivoted at 84, so that it is free to rise and fall except as controlled by this weight or by a compression spring (also not shown) which'bears upon the top of the lever and is confined at its upper end.

To ensure. the freeing of the capped bottle from die 68, in cases where it sticks in said die so tightly that spring 71, cannot force ejector plunger 70,'down again when capping plunger 56 is freed from cam 82, and is lifted by cam 64, to the level shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, we employ a knockout pin 32, which is loosely mounted in a hole bored through capping plunger 56, so that its inner end rests on the upper end of the ejector plunger 70, while its outer end strikes flange or top-plate 33, on spider 54, when the capping ilunger approaches the upper limit of its travel. This gives pin 32, a positive thrust which knocks out ejector 70, and with it the capped bottle, no matter how tightly the latter may be stuck in die 68.

Another feature of our invention is concerned with the feeding of the caps to plung- Fin? crs 5G. ensuring as far aspossible their regular delivery to properly centered position in guide block 67, and their harmless removal in case they are not correctly centered. For

this purpose we give the chute 7b a swinging,

' plunger 56, and ensures its being spaced back sharply against stop 37, when the force hero ing the aring 35, is removed. If this action occurs just as each plunger capping head comes into line with chute 76, the cap 7 in the lower end of the chute will be kicked or pitched with certainty through slot 73, into the cavity formed by the guide block 67 and die 68 so that the cap will be properly adjusted onthe mouth of the bottle on which the capping plunger next descends.

tihis properly timed kick of the chute is created by allowing cam roller 39 carried on the lower portion of chute 7b to they) into the depression in cam e0, formed on the outer face of guide block 67, as shown in 7 and 10.

Still another feature of our invention is concerned with the handling of the caps in hopper 77, avoidingbreakage of the mechanism when a cap gets jammed inthe hollow slotted wheel 78. and audibly calling the attention of the operator *to the situation. These results are secured by a novel friction driving mechanism by which inotionis transmitted from shaft T9 to wheel .78. This comprises a. gear s1 keyed on sl' aft 79,. nesh- I ing with pinion l2. on one end of short shaft To. which shaft is journaled in disc ist, looselvinounted on shaft 79, and carries on its other end projecting through disc stat a shallow toothed gear wheel or friction whee 4-5 engaged. by spring 4.6, mounted on disc l t. at H. and adjustable as to, its pressure on gear 4:5 by screw 4L8 also carried by disc 4.4;. This disc in turn drives hollow wheel 78, by means of pins alt), 49 set in bosses 59, Fill. on the disc 4st and engaging holes in wheel T8. A cover 51. locks on disc 4:41, by bayonet point 52 (see Fig. l) and protects "the roaring on the outer surface of the disc. To remove, the disc. the spring latch 85, shovm in Figs. 2 and t is removed from engagement with the groove 86, around the end of the shaft 79. The disc 44 and the parts carried byit may then be pulled off the end of shaft 79. In operation the gear ell. pinion l2. shallow gear and disc 44, are loclzed together by spring 4L6 so that they revolve with shaft 79, and the disc, by

pins L9,rotates feed wheel 7 8. lf however a cap sticks in wheel 78, so as to stop it from rotation the spring 16, begins to slip and snaps over the teeth of gear or friction wheel -15, disc A, standing still while gear 411, continues rotation and pinion 4-2., and gear 43 beginto rotate. The noise of the spring snapping over the shallow .r teeth immediately attracts the operators attention so that he has time. to -rasp cover and give the wheel 78 a back ard whirl, or otherwise free the, ianimed can and cause the feeding action to be resumed before the supply of caps in transit through chute 76, is exhausted. Consei'pientlv there need be no interruption in the bottle capping operation.

If, on the other hand. a cap jams at he mouth of chute to, or is not fed all the way into the guide block 6. continued rotation of spider 54, forces such cap against swinging panel 87, pivoted to the side of the chute at 88, and held in place by spring 89., attached to arm 90. This panel yieldsand allows the cap to escape. Spring finger 91. carried by panel 87; runs in groove '55, and holds the caps in the plungers 56 till they begin to descend to force them on the bottles beneath. a

The general method of operation of the machine is as follows: 'fhe rotating table section 3, thestar wheel and the spider h-l. rotate continuously, bottles being fed to the star wheel and a. capping head 56, being held 'aboveeach bottle held in the star wheel.

Each capping head. after passing the cap chute, hasa cap in it, held in proper position over any bottle beneath it. Each cap-' ping head so equipped and havi a bottle beneath itcomes in its order unocr pressure cam 82, and is driven down to crnnp t...

on the bottle as previously esplai1ned, the supporting cam 6st having a depression in it to permit of this. as each head passes under and clears the pressure cam it is lifted by the supporting the capped bottle. and p on around vto the cap chuteagain to receive another can.

l he capped bottle remaining on the rotating table section 3, is carried around until it is removed by any suitable agency.

. Tension of the driving belt 12 can be ad justed by screw 29 which swings motor 13 toward or from pulley 11.

Having described our invention we claim: 1. In a bottle capping inachinethe combination, with reciprocating capping head mission of a cap and a rotatable carrier for said head, of a chute for delivering a series of caps to said head movable toward and from the same, and means for giving the.

delivery end of said chute a quick motion,

e cap cam (i-l, fr itself from 9 having in its side an opening for the ad- 2. In a bottle. capping machine the combination, with a series of vertically reciprocating capping heads, each having in its side an opening for admission of a cap and means for moving said heads horizon tally, of a chute for delivering a series of caps, one to each of said heads as it comes opposite the lower end of the chute, a hinged support for the upper end of the chute, yielding means tending to oscillate the lower end of the chute toward the capping head, and cams movable with the heads and hearing against the lower end of the chute adapted to force the chute outward, as each capping head ap noaches it, and to allow it to be snapped inward the opening in each head comes opposite the chute end.

3. In a bottle capping machine the combination with a capping head having an opening in its side to admit a cap and an interior cap support therefor, a bottle support, and means for causing the capping head and 'bottle support to peiiodicall approach toward and recede from one another, of a swinging chute for delivering caps to the opening in the head. and separate means for periodically witlulrawing the lower end of said chute and thereafter quickly snapping it back into position while the head is held in raised position, whereby a cap located in the lower end of the chute is pitched through the side opening to the interior of the capping head into a position onthe cap supporting portion of said head and in line with the bottle to which it is to be applied.

In a bottle capping machine the combination of the main frame, a revolving spider journaled therein, a series of capping heads mounted in said spider each having a lateral opening for admission of a cap, a chute for delivering such caps hinged at its upper end to the main frame so as to be movable toward and from the heads, a spring supported by the frame bearing on the chute and tending to swing its lower end toward each passing head, and cam means operated by the revolving spi tor for 1 h is flexing the spring and reciprocating the chute toward and from the passing heads.

A structure such as set forth in claim 4-, combined with an adjustable stop on the main frame adapted to limit the motion of the chute toward the spider.

6. In a bottle capping machine, in combination, a main shaft, a series of reciprocating capping heads mounted for movement about the axis of said shaft and each head having a cap receiving opening, a movably mounted chute to deliver caps to suecessive heads, and means to give the delivery end of said chute a quick movement toward and from a head, said movement being cll'ected in fixed relation to the angular ad *ance of said head about the axis of said shaft.

7. In a bottle capping machine, the combination with cap atlixing apparatus, a rotating cap delivering device and driving connections between said apparatus and said device including a rotated element, of a friction mechanism included in said connections and comprising a floating pinion mounted on a pivot. fixed in said rotated element and displaced from the axis of rotation thereof, a friction wheel rotatable with ll ioating pinion, and yielding means also mounted on said rotated element and engaging said friction wheel to normally hold said wheel and said rotated element from relative rotation.

S. In a bottle capping machine the combination, with cap aliixing apparatus and a rotating cap delivering mechanism loosely mounted on a shaft geared to the cap affixing mechanism, of a disc'connected to the cap delivering mechanism and concentric with the said shaft, a gear on the shaft. a pinion mounted and rotatable on the disc and meshing with the gear, and a spring also mounted on the disc and adapted to exert a frictional resistance against rotation of the pinion on its axis, and to be audihly *ibrated by any such rotation.

JOHN EL EANUEL JOHNSON. CHARLES H. OSLUN D. 

